A survey of 429 schools serving children classified as ESN(S)--educationally subnormal (severe)--or otherwise handicapped was conducted to find out which sign and symbol systems were used for nonvocal children. (SBH)

Based on experimental research, examines the relationship between American Sign Language and French Sign Language, and sociolinguistic variation in both sign languages. (AM)

Traces the history of the advances and setbacks experienced by proponents of sign language in France and in the United States from the 18th century to the present. (AM)

Sign language production of 14 low-functioning students (ages 9 to 20) with autistic disorder were examined. The location aspect of signs was produced more accurately by subjects than either the handshape or movement aspects. Wide individual differences were observed. Sign vocabulary size and accuracy was correlated with performance on two…

A within-subject multiple baseline design was used to teach a young girl with severe disabilities six target signs that were functionally equivalent to existing behaviors (e.g., leading, reaching). Teaching occurred only in the presence of behavioral indication by the subject. Results showed successful acquisition and discriminating use of the six…

Assessment of the prelinguistic behaviors of 43 deaf children (ages 8 to 49 months) of hearing parents in Israel found only partial resemblance to the theoretical model of prelinguistic communication in hearing infants. Unique interrelationships among pointing and early noncommunicative behaviors were found with no correlation between use of…

Compared gestures of Chinese and American deaf children who had not been exposed to a usable conventional language model with speech of hearing children learning Mandarin or English. Found that deaf children conveyed central elements of motion events in their communications. Deaf American and Chinese children used gestures to express motion in…

This study analyzed storybook reading sessions involving a mother and her three-year-old twin daughters, one of whom was deaf. The mother asked the hearing twin almost twice as many questions as she asked of the deaf twin, and asked the hearing twin primarily conventional test questions, but she asked the deaf twin more gestural questions.…

Observation of the development of storytelling skills of seven- and eight-year-old deaf children (N=9) found that subjects who "drafted" their stories in sign language and used role-playing before writing them down produced clearer and more descriptive writing. (CB) (Adjunct ERIC Clearinghouse on Literacy Education)

Project RITCH (Research In Total Communication in the Home) developed a model videotape program to teach total communication to families of young hearing-impaired children in their homes. Discussed are the process of designing the videotape prototype, field testing, characteristics of a model home program, and videotape distribution through local…

Describes the integration into a hearing classroom environment of a third grader who learns to rely less on other individuals' help and more on her own abilities. Includes list of suggestions for teachers of similar special needs students. (ET)

A school for deaf and hard-of-hearing preschoolers organized and presented a circus, with the objectives of improving reading and writing skills, interaction and cooperation, math and science readiness, fine and gross motor skills, and self-esteem. The students performed as lion tamers, lions, tumblers, weight lifters, and clowns. (JDD)

This investigation into the information processing strategies of 12 profoundly/prelingually deaf college students found that subjects with oral/manual educational backgrounds had higher levels of recognition than did subjects from oral-only educational backgrounds. Highest recognition was to the left and right of the fixation point, followed by…